St. Patrick's Day, Food, and Celebrating Obstinacy

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated next Friday, mostly here in the United States, and more specifically, in such busy places as New York City and Boston. The story of Irish immigration is a fraught one, born of hope and poverty, will and willfulness, and richly layered with both faith and prejudice. Irish Need Not Apply is not that many generations back that the sting has faded completely. Yet now people flock to concerts, dance presentations, and...bars.

I am not a fan of the overtly kitschy in any aspect of celebration. Okay, I did go with a pink flamingo theme for my 30th birthday, but that was intentional (and kind of fun). But all these waggly headbands and blinking green glitter glasses-- yep, that's tacky. There is no place in this world for green beer. 

And the celebration is on a Friday. Our Cardinal and our Bishop have not given us a dispensation from meatless Fridays, and it's Lent. So--salmon it is. I'll make the "traditional" dinner on the weekend--though it's not really all that traditional except in the case that is has been deemed so, and it's not particularly Irish. In a way, when we think about the roots of the meal (yes, pun intended), it's kind of sobering. Corned beef is made from a really inferior cut of beef and then brined to preserve it. Cabbage is pretty lowly, and it is and always has been, cheap. Same for potatoes--and let's stop for a second to consider the connection with potatoes and the Irish potato famine issues. In short, we celebrate the day with food that was considered only good enough for the looked-down-upon immigrant class in this country. I like that, in some ways, by deeming this meal a tradition, it's kind of co-opting that anti-immigrant attitude and making it a somewhat "in your face" moment. As I've said before, I like a healthy dose of sass.

But maybe I'm getting too philosophical about the food and traditions. Either way, I make a really awesome soda bread. Lots of real butter involved. 

So, amid all the green glitter and cartoony leprechauns, there is a real thread of obstinate push-back that is true to the story of Irish immigration. That is something to celebrate.

Take care,

C